With no guests the palace was quiet, sadly so. It seemed like a lonely, cold place to live. I shuddered to think I would likely be living here for the remainder of my life.
"Come, we mustn't keep the King waiting." Ezra urged, making me turn to the left to a room I hadn't been in yet.
Lin was sitting at a table built for two, looking relaxed. When we stepped into the room, he stood and walked quickly over to us, taking my hand from Ezra's. He was dressed in a black robe with a silver lining around the collar and sleeves. Around his neck was a gold pentagram necklace. His hair was slicked back like usual but a few blond strands hung in his face. He smiled boyishly at me, pressing his cool lips against my knuckles.
"Melanie, my dear, it is so wonderful to see you. I hope you are feeling better?" He straightened back to his full height, his smile not disappearing.
I curtsied, ducking my head. "I am well, Your Highness, thank you for asking. I hope you are in good health as well."
He chuckled and rubbed his chest where the arrow had pierced. "Thanks to you, I am alive. If it hadn't been for your quick thinking I may not be here."
'It's almost a shame I panicked and called for help,' I thought spitefully.
Now, now, that isn't cordial at all. Rayi reproved, disapproval coloring her voice.
"You flatter me, My King, I would do anything to preserve your life." I simpered, biting my cheek.
"You may call me Lin, my dear lady; I'd like to think we are beyond such formalities." He replied, walking me over to the table. Ezra bowed and quietly excused himself.
Lin pulled my chair out for me, which I gracefully sat in, thanking him as he pushed the chair in for me. "If it pleases Your Majesty, I will address him by his birth name."
He sat himself across from me, chuckling. "Relax, Melanie; you seem tense. I don't bite."
I smiled edgily, taking a greedy sip from my wine glass. He reclined in his chair, studying me with his yellow eyes. His pupils were dilated, almost as round as a human's. I fidgeted under his scrutiny, hesitant to meet his gaze. He sighed and clucked his tongue. I looked up to see him shaking his head.
"Still looking down, I see. You certainly are timid." Self-consciously, I reached up and touched my hair.
"When is your birthday?" He suddenly questioned.
"O-October 26, My King." I murmured, clasping my hands together.
"Late in the year," He mused. "My birthday is January 13."
"I shall remember that date fondly." I said, disturbed by how well my sucking up was. 'It must run in the family,' I thought wryly.
Lin looked charmed, his face pleased. "You are such a dear."
The food arrived, souls and, surprisingly enough, fruit from the Human World. I recognized strawberries from when Will all but shoved one down my throat, but the others weren't familiar. When I first tasted it I accused him of trying to poison me, unused to the bitter taste of something I associated with sweetness. He insisted he didn't, his lips quirked up in that infuriating smirk, but I refused to try anymore. I worriedly wondered if other human fruits would be poisonous to demons. It didn't seem to be the case, though, as I watched Lin take a small, dark purple, round fruit and place it in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, seeming to enjoy the flavor of the little fruit.
Seeing my rapt attention on the fruit before me, he chuckled and said, "Go ahead; the fruit won't harm you."
I smiled sheepishly and grabbed the round fruit he had just eaten. "What is this called?"
"Grape. Try it: it's very sweet." He coaxed, grabbing a handful of grapes and popping them into his mouth in encouragement.
Cautiously, I placed the grape on my tongue and chewed thoughtfully. It was sweet and juicy and I swallowed quickly. I smiled at the taste. Delighted by my reaction, Lin grabbed a red fruit and held it out to me. I grimaced inwardly when I recognized it as a strawberry. "Try this one now. It's called a strawberry. It isn't sweet like the grape, but I find its taste to be very pleasing to the palate."
He was holding it in a way that made me believe he wanted me to eat it from his hand. The idea of anyone feeding me in such a manner was so displeasing it almost ruined my appetite. Still, I leaned forward and bit into the soft flesh of the strawberry. It was bitter like last time and no less tasty to me. I ate it quickly and said, "I didn't like that one as much as the grape."
"Yes, strawberries are a bit more of an acquired taste." He agreed, leaning back and disposing of the remainder of the strawberry. "Please, eat."
He grabbed a handful of souls, plopping them on his plate and began to dig in enthusiastically. With much less enthusiasm, I placed two souls on my plate and sliced one in half. The souls were green and a light purple. They weren't young, maybe teenagers or in their mid-twenties. The filling of the green soul oozed out onto the plate and I forked it, placing it in my mouth. The filling was gluttony, to my distaste, and I forced myself to swallow. The human who was the owner of this soul had let greed consume its life, I could taste how no matter how much it had it always wanted more. The purple soul was a little more pleasant than the prior. It was filled with ambition, a working class soul.
"So," I nearly jumped when Lin spoke again, politely dabbing at the corner of his mouth, "I heard your brother encountered the Angel of Life a few months ago."
I feigned ignorance, widening my eyes in faux surprise. "Oh? I'm afraid I wasn't aware of that."
His tone turned bitter as he said, "Those damn Angels are getting too bold. To think they attempted to assassinate me in my own palace under my guards' noses. Shameful! I hope Lucifer gives the order to go to war with them."
My heart dropped at the mention of war. I was aware of the Great War about two thousand years ago and the devastation both sides suffered, including the Human World. While no human perished, the landscape was ruined and the atmosphere of that area was never quite the same again. Not to mention that if one possessed an elemental power, he or she were required to go to war, regardless of class.
"I hope it doesn't come to that," I said honestly, "I'm not much of a fighter."
Lin waved his hand dismissively. "I wouldn't worry about that, my dear. You'll be queen before any of that happens. Royalty does not fight; we bolster the morale."
I dropped my fork, wincing when it hit the marble floor with a loud clank. Maids scuttled over quickly, apologizing to me though I should have been the one begging pardon. I was handed a new fork and, with a hasty curtsy, the maids left us alone once more. My ears were burning with humiliation and I looked up to see Lin staring at me with a diverted expression.
"Are you alright?" I nodded once sharply, placing my fork beside the plate. I played with the soft fabric of my dress, bunching it between my fingers.
"I apologize: I hadn't meant to startle you like that." He stood and approached me.
My shoulders bunched around my neck when he reached into his breast pocket and pulled something out. I forced myself not to flinch when I was given a black velvet box. I opened it warily and saw a large sparkling diamond on top a gold band. I closed the box and felt Lin's cool fingers grip my chin, tilting my face up to his. I stared up at him, astounded, and he leaned close until our noses were touching.
His warm breath washed over my face as he murmured, "Preparations are already being made. We will be married at the end of the month."
Dismay filled me and I bit my lip to keep it from quivering. He pecked me and backed away, resuming his seat. I fixed my eyes on my empty plate, my stomach churning.
Maybe if I vomited on the Persian rug he wouldn't want to marry me. Rayi scorned the very idea the moment I thought it.
The remainder of lunch was quiet. Lin looked smug and I kept my mouth clamped shut for fear of my lunch coming back up. The maids cleared the table and Lin went over to me, taking my hand. I stood, my legs quivering, and followed him out of the dining hall and into the dark corridor.
The corridor had portraits of blond demons, each attire different from the last. I recognized Lin's father, his narrow yellow eyes glaring at me. Lin made us pause in front of a small shrine by a large window. There were black candles lit and symbols written with blood hanging from leather made from human skin. The portrait of a white-blond haired man was in the very center. The eyes were painted a bright yellow.
"My precursor, Abaddon. He was the Angel of Death when he Fell." Lin explained, bowing his head in respect.
My lip curled with dislike when I realized Lin was very distantly related to Luke. Rayi chortled, Perhaps that is why you are not overly fond of our King.
He took me to the domed courtyard after, where we sat on a stone bench. It was still raining heavily, the glass of the dome stained red. If I inhaled too deeply I would smell the iron of the blood.
Lin didn't release my hand and I stared at our twined hands. His hands were soft, perhaps softer than mine, and not much larger than my own. Unlike my bitten down nails, his were perfectly manicured. He hadn't worked a day in his life. I thought of Will's hands, how they swallowed my own when he'd hold them. I thought of his calloused palms and the pads of his fingers, thick from playing with fire. Rough hands capable of so much damage but stroked my face so carefully, as though he feared I would shatter under his touch.
"You're quiet, my dear. Care to tell me your thoughts?" Lin broke the silence, turning his head to look at me. His eyes were soft.
"I'm just...overcome with emotion at the moment, My King." I answered truthfully, not disclosing the emotion I felt was disgust.
"As am I. I knew the moment I lay eyes on you, you would be my queen." He said, his thumb rubbing my palm.
I looked up at him, puzzled. "If I may, Your High- I mean, Lin, why did you not choose my sister? She is far lovelier than me and perhaps better suited to be queen."
"Yes," Lin agreed, "she may be lovely to look at but she is not demure. She is a lot like Lilith and a king needs an Eve. You are my Eve."
I disliked being compared to Adam's wife and disliked it further that he thought me to be so bashful. I was sure Will would disagree with Lin's version of who he thought I was.
"It is growing late." He stated, glancing at the grandfather clock resting against the stone wall of the palace. "It is time to send you back to your father. Tell him I will pay your dowry tomorrow when he arrives in the morning. Come."
We stood and he escorted me to where the carriage awaited me under the overhang. Lin cupped my face and kissed me once more before leaving me with Ezra and the guard from before. Ezra bowed to me and, to my surprise, the guard did so as well. Before, he had essentially ignored me, but now he seemed to be more willing to interact with me. Like before, the guard sat beside me in front of the window, silent as ever.
"My Lady, the King has ordered me to help you with the transition of moving to the palace and what your duties as queen will be. Once he has paid your dowry, you will immediately move into the palace where your training will begin." Ezra prattled off.
I looked up sharply, gaping at him. "I-I'm to move so soon? I thought I wouldn't move until after the wedding."
He shook his head, chuckling at my naïveté. "Oh, yes. Tonight will be your last night in your father's home. Your servants will help you pack your things."
I felt a lump in my throat begin to form and I swallowed painfully, choking out a strained, "I see."
Ezra didn't notice I was on the verge of tears, continuing, "You will have your own personal guard, who will always be around you, whether you see him or not. Amnon here is your assigned guard. He will protect you with his life."
I turned my head to study the large demon beside me. He inclined his head toward me before resuming his stiff posture. I smiled slightly at him. "Hello, Amnon; it's nice to meet you."
"My Lady." His voice was the deepest I had ever heard, sounding like the thunder that rumbled in the Human World. And guttural. It certainly fit his menacing figure. I was surprised he even knew how to speak, to be honest.
"Oh, you need not speak to him when unnecessary. He is a shadow; nothing more and nothing less." Ezra waved a dismissive hand.
I frowned. The caste system was too much at times, honestly. Ezra was most likely a demon with Human-Turned-Demon blood in his veins and, as such, had a job expected of his rank. He was slightly above Human-Turned-Demon but just barely. Some didn't see a difference. Amnon was likely in the same caste. I asked rather sharply, "Are you telling me how to speak to my guard?"
He winced and bowed his head. "No, forgive me, Duchess."
I nodded curtly and stared straightforward. The remainder of the ride was silent, tensely so. Ezra seemed put off that he had been scolded and Amnon's silence was cold, obviously displeased with Ezra's dismissal of his existence. We pulled to the front of my house and Amnon got out first like before. He held a large umbrella for me, his head bowed. I got out of the carriage, taking Amnon's offered hand, and held my skirts up to prevent them from getting sullied from the blood. Ezra bade me farewell, telling me I would be picked up late tomorrow afternoon once my father and Lin spoke. The guard in front cracked the whip and the horses took off, the carriage quickly disappearing around the corner. Amnon remained with me.
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